1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to radio-controlled race cars and more specifically to a drive assembly for radio-controlled racing cars which eliminates slippage between the drive motor/transmission and the wheels of the radio-controlled racing car.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Radio-controlled racing cars are an increasingly popular form of entertainment and are manufactured on a scale relative to full size cars of approximately 1/8th scale.
The cars are typically powered by an electric motor or gas motor. For a general description of the type of car with which we are dealing, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,246 to Sullivan. The radio-controlled cars are typically powered by an electric motor or gas motor mounted proximate the rear axle with a series of gear drives transmitting the axial rotation of the motor to the rear axle and hence to the rear tires.
Since the motor operates at relatively high RPM, it is desirable not to have any slippage with respect to the transmission of the axial rotation to the rear axle. Past practice required two thrust bearing washers to be positioned on opposing sides of a spur gear having radially mounted bearings, the spur gear rotatably mounted on the axle with the thrust bearing washers having a nipple protrusion in outwardly facing engagement with the axle hub and the wheel hub. These thrust bearing washers would be in tight friction engagement on opposing sides of the spur drive and radially mounted bearings. The rotation of the spur gear would thus frictionally cause the rotation of the thrust bearing washer which would transmit this rotation via the nipple protrusion to the axle hub and wheel hub with the radio-controlled vehicle's wheel being secured to the wheel hub and thus causing the rotation thereof.
This construction allowed for a relatively inexpensive manner in which to transmit the axial rotation of the motor to the wheels, however, the thrust bearing washer would oftentimes wear or fail to engage the respective axle hub or wheel hub and thus cause slippage in the transmission of axial rotation to the radio-controlled vehicle's wheel.
Cost of manufacture involving intricate machining prevented or hindered the development of a better or improved manner in which the axial rotation of the motor could be transmitted to the wheels of the radio-controlled vehicle. Applicant has developed a simple, cost-effective method of improving the manner in which the axial rotation of the motor is transmitted to the wheels of the radio-controlled vehicles which utilizes an axle hub and wheel hub of the vehicle, but substitutes the prior art thrust bearing washer with ring bearings which interlock with a pair of cooperative sleeves which are secured in the wheel hub and the axle hub respectively, the ring bearings and sleeves interlocking by means of a interlocking geometric shape between the sleeve and the respective ring bearing.